The Cardiovascular Center (CVC) at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is a Biomedical Core Center with ongoing research related to the prevention, detection, treatment and cure of the complex set of cardiovascular diseases related to heart, lung, stroke, high blood pressure and renal injury, diabetes, and obesity. The most recent Strategic Plan designated the expansion of the cardiovascular research activities at MCW to be one of the highest priorities. Recent allocation of expanded research space and resources to the CVC to recruit new faculty demonstrates the institutional support of this expansion. We have identified an exciting young scientist, Dr. Aron Geurts, who would advance our goals to develop an innovative research program of excellence in stem cell and regenerative cardiovascular biology. Dr. Geurts with ten years of experience in cell culture and technology development, has been a postdoctoral fellow for the past three years in the Human and Molecular Genetics Center (HMGC) working in the laboratory of Dr. Howard Jacob. He has led the development and application in rats of gene-trap transposon mutagenesis for our NHLBl-PGA program;the creation of the first targeted knockout rats using zinc-finger nucleases;and the reprogramming of rat fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem cells. This PSO grant would enable the immediate opportunity to provide start-up funds and protected time for Dr. Geurts as a new tenure-track faculty member to develop his own research initiatives to become an independently-funded, NIH-supported investigator. Not only his specific scientific skills and prowess but also his remarkable collaborative abilities make Dr. Geurts a strong candidate for recruitment to enhance research resources in the area of stem cell and regenerative cardiovascular biology developed by the CVC together with the Departments of Physiology, and Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, the HMGC, and the Bioengineering and Biotechnology Center. The extensive resources on this campus would provide a pathway of independence for Dr. Geurts while at the same time expanding the institution's community of multidisciplinary researchers focusing on the specific interests of the NHLBI. The CVC has identified an exciting young scientist. Dr. Aron Geurts, who would advance our goals to develop an innovative research program of excellence in stem cell and regenerative cardiovascular biology. The recruitment of Dr. Geurts would enhance research resources in the area of stem cell and regenerative cardiovascular biology for the CVC at MCW.